The Villain Who Seeks Joy Novel

A war hero from Earth awakens in an unexpected second life as a necromancer student at Velorum Academy, branded as the villain everyone predicts will face execution before the semester ends. In a world where swordsmen duel, mages cast flames, saints perform blessings, and tamers command beasts, he alone practices necromancy—the art most feared and despised. Unlike typical villains seeking power or retribution, he harbors a different desire: after decades of warfare and mourning, he simply wants to enjoy life. His ambitions are modest—to laugh beyond curfew, to eat street food, to protect the friends who stand by him. Yet he faces mounting pressure from multiple forces: the church demands a heretic to condemn, the crown seeks a scapegoat for its troubles, and the academy's celebrated hero struggles to explain how the notorious villain consistently emerges victorious. Branded monster and traitor, he remains determined to build a meaningful existence and embrace it with a smile.